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Paul Newman has Died

September 28, 2008, 1:34 am — Angus Dei

I know both Nilk and I have been dreading this day, a day we both knew was sadly coming for some time.

Paul Newman: Epitome of Cool

Being fifty, I grew up watching this guy act. To me, he was always cooler than Brando or James Dean. Only Charlton Heston and John Wayne were bigger favorites of mine, but hey, Heston did all those big Biblical epics I love and Wayne… well WTF can you say about Wayne that hasn’t been said a million, jillion times before? Bogart’s in there too, somewhere, along with McQueen.

Salad for dinner, Newman’s Own to dress.
It’s hard to believe that he was 22 when I was born. When I was 22, I was watching him drive at Road Atlanta. I drove a little TR4A then, a Porsche later. Mr. Newman lived a graceful and gracious life. May The Lord’s Grace be his, and God’s Mercy and Comfort be with the family. Shiny side up, Paul.

hey you stole that pic from my site!!
its a very sad day indeed. a great man who walked the road he preached whether or not i agreed with him. he had integrity. and a fine actor as well. a mighty fine actor. and he chose his helpmate wisely – a sweet gentle soul who, in my eyes, made him greater.
and a damned good salad dressing he made

Though he was an intolerably bad guy in “Hud,” it’s still one of my favorite movies of his. Just the fact that he was able to make me hate him so deeply when he was one of my favorite actors is testament enough to his talent.

Angus said it best…, “Being fifty, I grew up watching this guy act.” The guy being Paul Newman of course. That puts Angus and I in a special category (age wise as well…except I’ll see 60 before he will..and that was the age I remember Newman tearing up his driver’s license and saying he didn’t want to look at age anymore lol).

What a man..what an Actor..what a great humanitarian he was. A World War Two veteran who actually saw the mushroom clouds after Hiroshima was bombed..and who would never forget it. Although I am of the opinion the correct decision was made in bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki as we had no real choice..I often wonder if I would be thinking the same if I had actually seen that mushroom cloud myself right after the bombing. It would leave a lasting impression on Newman to work for peace and help his fellow man..so in that sense..I will never deride his being against war or other controversial stands he took.

Having said that, I go back to the actor. It seems that after the loss of James Dean that the good Lord had a ready replacement in Newman. How fortunate could all of us be really? As a kid I remember seeing him in “Somebody Up There Likes Me” (and I am sure he did..not only for Rocky Graziano but for Newman as well). After that movie I believe his career really took off. Who can forget Fast Eddie Felson in the “The Hustler”..or Luke in “Cool Hand Luke”? Of course there were so many other great movies he made in between and after.

Someone once asked Paul Newman why he would want to reprise the role of Fast Eddie Felson? He gave an answer only Paul Newman could give..he said in rough quote..”I don’t like to see people with unresolved issues in life..Felson had unresolved issues and I wanted to try and resolve those issues in Color of Money”. That he did, with an Academy Award to boot. That was the kind of man he was..caring, not only for people in real life..but even for a “washed up” once great pool player in fiction..He just cared.

He suffered probably one of the worst tragedies a parent could suffer..the death of a child. He didn’t sit back and let it eat away at his life and torment him until the end of his days, but instead, started a charity that helped (and more than likely saved) Million of Lives with his wonderful salad dressing recipe..and yes, that salad dressing is delicious!

Thank you for being here on Earth Paul Newman for as long as you were..and thank you for helping to make it a better place for all of us during your stay…Somebody up there really like you! RIP.